Metallic brush or cleaner for cleaning the flues of steam-boilers.



1 F. W. AYRHART. METALLIC BRUSH 0R CLEANER FOR CLEANING THE FLUES 0F STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I9, 1916- 1,278,823. PatentedSept. 17,1918.

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F..W. AYRHART.

METALLIC BRUSH 0R CLEANER FOR CLEANING THE FLUES 0F STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-19, 1916.

1 ,278, 823 Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

FRANK W. AYRHART, 0F REDFIELD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

METALLIC BRUSH on CLEANER. FOR CLEANING THE ELUEs or STEAM-BOILERS.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application filed September 19, 1916. Serial No. 121,028.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. AYRHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redfield, in the county of Spink and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Device for Metallic Brushes or Cleaners for Cleaning the Flues of Steam-Boilers, of which device the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a metallic brush for cleaning the flues of steam boilers, and the like, and has for its principal object the production of a structure which,is adapted to be positioned within a fine and then moved as desired for easily cutting and removing the refuse clear to the sides thereof.

Another object of this invention is the production of a metallic brush which is adapted to be positioned within a flue and then adjusted-so as to expand as desired for increasing the size of the brush in the event the same is used in. a comparatively large flue so as to cause the plates of the brush to fit snugly within the flue for cutting the refuse from the side portions thereof as the brush is moved.

Another object of this invention is the production of a metallic brush for cleaning the fines of steam boilers, and the like, which has the knives thereof mounted upon a plurality of movable sections which are shaft, thus causing the knives to engage the inner portions of a comparatively large flue for cleaning the same, as the brush is moved, although upon the movement of the operating shaft again the knives upon being released from their expanded position-will be automatically returned' to their normal positions.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete metallic brush ready for operation and the cleaning of the fines of steam boilers, and the like.

of the operating Fig. 2 is azcentral longitudinal section through the metallic brush.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4; is a section taken on the line ie-4:

adapted to be expanded upon the movement of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig.7 is an elevation of one of the operating plates.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of one of the cutting. heads removed.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the device, illustrating the manner in which the cam member fits thereon.

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 1o 10 of Fig. 2.

Referringto the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that the metallic brush comprises a central shaft 1 which has a smooth or unthreaded portion 2 formed thereon, while the shaft 1 is further provided with the right threads 3 and the left threads 4- An enlarged hub 5 is positioned upon the body of the unthreaded portion 2 of the shaft 1 and this hub 5 is held against longitudinal movement upon the shaft by the pins '6 as clearly shown in Fig, 2 so as to engage the ends of the hub 5. It will be seen, how ever, that the shaft may be turned without turning the hub because the hub is not keyed thereon, although it is held against longitudinal movement, as above stated, by means of'the pins 6. The arms 7 are formed integral upon the hub 5 and extend outwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 10. The blocks 8 formed integral upon the outer end of the arms 7 are provided with longitudinally extending tobe hereinafter set forth. From this con struction it will be seen that the hub, arms, and blocks are formed of a one-piece construction so as to constitute a frame which is held upon the shaft by means of the pins 6.

The resilient metallic strips 10 are positioned so as to rest upon the blocks 8 and these strips extend through the grooves 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10. In order to hold these resilient strips 10 against accidental displacement bolts 11 are passed through the grooves 9 for purposes which extend through the shaft 1,

strips and also extend through the blocks 8 the bolts are fixedly retained in position and thus cause the resilient strips 10 to be car'- ried upon the blocks and to extend for a the shaft in one direction shown in Fig. 5, thus assisting tion, extending at considerable distance clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

nection with the prises a collar 13 brush and each plate comwhich is internally threaded. Itis intended, however, that the collars 13 be oppositely threaded so as to cause one collar to fit upon the right hand threads 3 of the shaft, while the remaining collar will fit upon the left hand threads 4 of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. The operating plate 14: extending from each collar 13 has notches 15 formed in its periphery, as shown in Fig. 7, and it is obvious that as the collars 13 fit upon the right and left hand threads the plates will be drawn toward the body or unthreaded portion 2 of the shaft as the shaft is rotated in one direction, although they will be moved away from this body as the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. It will be seen that as the resilient strips 10 extend for considerable distances beyond the blocks upon which they are mounted they will fit within the notches 15 of the operating plates 14 and because of the resiliency of the strips they will be held against accidental displacement, as the plates will normally urge the strips outwardly adjacent their end portions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, although the tendency of the resilient strips will be to extend evenly throughout their entire lengths. It is, therefore, obvious that as the operating plates 14 are drawn toward the hub 5 by the rotation of the plates will pass along the resilient strips 10 and as a conse quence, since the diameters of the operating plates 14 are greater than the diameter of the hub 5, arms 7 and blocks 8, the outer ends of the resilient strips 10 will be moved outwardly to a greater degree than normally.

The cutting heads are similarly constructed and each cutting head comprises a plurality of sections 16. Each section 16 comprises a thickened rib 17 atits outer periphery formed upon a thin body 18, the bodies 18 having an overhanging flange formed at one end thereof, as shown at 19, so that when a number of sections are positioned upon each other toform a cutting head, the flanges 19 will overhang the ends of the bodies 18 which are not provided with in holding the sections 16 in alineinent with each other. These bodies 18 are provided with inwardly extending brackets 20 formed integral thereon, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. These brackets are substantially U-shaped in cross-secright angles to the bodies 18 and extending for a considerable distance parallel with these bodies. The ends of the resilient strips 10 fit within these brackets 20 and are fixedly carried therein by means of the .bolts21 which project through the resilient strips 10 and the brackets 20 so as to beyond the same, as

flanges, as

carry the nuts 22, thereby fixedlysecuring these elements in engagement with each other. It is, of course, obvious that because of the U-shaped construction of the brackets 10 the section carried upon the ends of the resilient strips will be held a ainst torsional movement when in use. blade 23 is formed upon each section 16, extending from the flange l7 and body 18 upon the opposite side of the section from which extends the bracket 20. Therefore, it will be seen that the blades of the sections will extend outwardly therefrom and it that the sections 16, the brackets 20, and the blades 23 will form the cutting head, when in operation. The blades 23 are cut away as shown at 24:, adjacent the bodies 18, thus providing su cient space for the reception of the protector washer 25. A washer 25 is carried by each cutting head and fits snugly upon the shaft 1, as shown in Fig. 2. These washers 25 fillin the space between the in ner portions of the sections 12, which space is clearly shown in Fig. 8. By having the washers so positioned after the space is closed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4t, refuse which is being cut will be prevented from falling down into the interior of the brush and preventing the same from operating efficiently. Since the washers 25 fit upon the bodies 18 and extend into the cut-out portion 24 of the blades 23 it will be seen that the washers will be steadied and will be held against accidental displacement, although the sections may be slightly expanded-when the device is in operation, without the adjustment of the washers.

Upon one end of the shaft there is carried an integral threaded sleeve'26 which has a cone 27 formed thereon. Thus, it will be seen that upon the threading of the sleeve 26 upon the right hand threads 3 of the shaft 1 the cone 27 will be firmly threaded into engagement with the cutting edges of the blades of the cutting head at its end of the brush. This cone is used to facilitate the insertion of the brush back into a flue provided, upon the stroke of the brush it is acci- Jgent-ally moved out of the outer end of the Thismetallic brush is adapted to be operated by any suitable means not deemed necessary to be disclosed herein, for it is only necessary to have some structure capable of engaging theshaft for turning or reciprocating the same when the brush is in operation. I

When this metallic brush is in use the hub 5 is carried upon the body portion 2 of the shaft, as hereinbefore set forth. The resilient strips are carried fixedly upon the blocks and after this the sections of the cutting heads are fixedly secured to their end portions. Since the ends of the resilient strips havea normal tendency to move inwardly it will be seen that the sections of the cutting heads will have their end portions normally bearing upon each other very firmly. The operating plates, however, are engaging the strips at all times. Therefore it will be seen that when the brush is positioned within a flue if it is of the correct size to engage the inner portions of the flue it will remain in the position it is disclosed in in Figs. 1 and 2. Upon the movement of the brush in any desired manner Within the flue the refuse clinging to the inner portions of the flue will be readily cut and removed therefrom, since the blades 23 will perform this operation. If, after the brush has been positioned within the flue it is found that it is not of sufficient size to readily engage the inner surface of the flue for cleaning the same then the shaft 1 may be rotated a few times so as to cause the collars of the operating plates to be drawn toward the hub, thus causing the operating plates to be drawn in this direction. This operation of the plates will cause the outer ends of the resilient strips to be moved outwardly, thus moving the sections toward an open position. This, of course, will cause the blades of the cutting heads to be moved far apart so as to fit snugly within a flue of a larger size than the normal size of the brush. As has been stated, the fitting of the washers upon the cutting heads will prevent the falling of the refuse from within the flue downwardly through the brush. After the flue has been cleaned it is obvious that the shaft may be turned in the opposite direction to which it has priorly been turned and this action will cause the collars to move the operating plates away from the hub and toward the end portions of the shaft. This operation will release the resilient strips and will permit the same to return to their normal positions and thus cause the sections of the cutting head to be moved to their normal copies of this patent may be obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the Gommluioner 0! Patents.

positions so as to allow the ends of the sections of the cutting heads to engage each other, thus causing the cutting heads to assume their normal positions.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very efficient metallic brush for cleaning the fines of steam boilers and the like, has been produced which is capable of various adjustments to increase or diminish the sizes of the cutting heads'of the brush to accommodate the sizeof the flue in which the brush is to be used, while the arrangement of the operating elements is such as to cause the heads to be easily expanded or con tracted and also minimizes the possibility of the metallic brush becoming inoperative when in use.

What is claimed is A flue cleaner comprising a cutting head, I

said cutting head comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising an outer rib, a thin body extending inwardly from said rib, a bracket extending rearwardly from said body, means attached to said bracket for expanding said sections or moving the same to a compact position, each section having an off-set flange formed upon one end, said flanges overlapping the ends of the adjacent section, whereby said bodies are held in alinement with each other, knives extending forwardly from said bodies at right angles thereto, said knives being partly cut away at their inner ends for forming a space adjacent said bodies, and a washer carried upon said bodies and fitting within said spaces, whereby said knives will hold said washer against accidental displacement, said washer preventing the passage of refuse between said bodies as the sections are exanded.

Dated at Redfield, South Dakota, this 26th day of February, 1915.

FRANK W. AYRHART.

Washington, D. 0. 

